Chapter : 41
A Desire to Be Found (1)
Jo‑young was dragged to what was truly a prison.
And she wasn’t the only one there.
There were several barrack‑like structures, enclosed like pens used for livestock.
Inside iron cages secured with heavy padlocks, groups of people were huddled together, all wearing the same expression.
They looked exhausted, as if they had lost all will to live, their weakened bodies slumped limply.
Some appeared injured, their clothes stained with blood, others clearly in poor condition.
Soldiers stood guard at the entrance to the enclosure, but the security wasn’t particularly strict.
There was no need for it.
How could people who already looked half‑dead possibly force open locked iron bars and escape?
As she was being dragged along by the soldiers, Jo‑young noticed a few people who looked slightly better off than the others.
For some reason, their faces seemed familiar.
At that moment, a woman lifted her head and met Jo‑young’s eyes.
The woman gasped in surprise, and the others followed suit, raising their heads as well.
“!”
Only then did Jo‑young realize—
They were all people from Hyeonseong who had been dragged here with her.
‘This is… the slave barracks.’
Realizing that didn’t make anything better.
“Get inside!”
Jo‑young was pushed further in and locked inside a stone chamber sealed on all sides.
The soldiers shoved her in and locked the door from the outside.
There was only one small window fitted with iron bars, but moonlight filtered through it, faintly illuminating the room.
Still, it would have been better if she couldn’t see at all.
The walls were lined with horrifying torture devices—just looking at them made her skin crawl.
On the floor was a chair resembling a torture rack, stained with blood.
This was where slaves were tortured.
She had steeled herself when she was dragged here, but seeing it with her own eyes made her think it might be easier to bite her tongue and die right now.
‘I’m scared.’
What kind of horrors would she be subjected to here?
Each time her eyes traced over the instruments, she could vividly imagine the pain awaiting her.
Because she knew it all too well.
The agony of flesh splitting and tearing under the lash. Being beaten until her bones felt like they would shatter, crying like a beast from the pain.
Ha Jinsan had beaten her as if he intended to kill her—but he had always left her barely alive.
It wasn’t because he feared being arrested for murder.
What he truly feared were the elders of the Ha clan.
The elders, who awaited the birth of a child blessed with divine powers from the Ha bloodline, would never let the suspicious death of a Ha daughter pass unnoticed.
Burdened by their suspicion, Ha Jinsan couldn’t bring himself to kill her.
Being in this place made those painful memories resurface again and again.
‘Nothing will happen. I just need to explain it properly.’
Ha Jinsan had beaten her out of rage, but this was a different situation.
If she explained things well, she should be fine.
Just as she was trying desperately to calm herself—
Step. Step.
The sound of two pairs of footsteps grew closer.
Click. Clank.
She heard the lock being opened, and soon the heavy door swung open.
As expected, the two men who entered were Jang Han and Jang So.
“Why didn’t you tie this bitch up?”
Jang Han snapped irritably the moment he made eye contact with Jo‑young.
“I’ll tie her up.”
“Ugh!”
Jang So grabbed Jo‑young by the wrist and dragged her onto the torture chair.
His grip was so rough it felt like her arm was being twisted out of its socket.
Before she could even resist, thick ropes bound her body tightly.
“Wh‑why are you doing this? Please spare me.”
Jo‑young begged deliberately in a frightened voice.
“Don’t worry. We won’t kill you. If you honestly explain why you threw away the decoction, you’ll walk out of here unharmed.”
“Yes. I did throw it away. But that’s only because that lord kept telling me to discard it. Truly—!”
Smack.
Her vision went black as searing pain exploded across her cheek and her head snapped to the side.
It was familiar, yet something she never got used to.
The man’s blow was so heavy her ears rang, leaving her unable even to scream.
Her lips and mouth split open, and the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth.
“Stop spouting useless nonsense. Do you even know where you are? If you wag your tongue the wrong way, should I show you first what happens here?”
“Brother, don’t scare her too much. She’ll pass out before we even begin.”
At that, Jang Han grabbed Jo‑young by the chin and forced her face up.
She squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her teeth.
“Look at her face. Does she look like she’s about to pass out? Can’t you see her desperately scheming, trying to figure out how to fool us?”
“……”
Caught out, Jo‑young slowly opened her eyes.
“That’s… not true.”
“Not true? I’ve never seen a woman who speaks so clearly and neatly after being dragged in here. Who are you really? Why did you throw away that decoction?”
“I’ve already told you everything. My identity is exactly what I told you before. Please, spare my life!”
“Jang So. Gag her. Let her learn how precious the chance to speak the truth really is.”
“!”
“I was hoping to hear some screams for the first time in a while. What a shame. Heh heh.”
Jang So snickered as if amused and shoved a gag into Jo‑young’s mouth.
“Mmph! Mmph!”
Unable to speak, Jo‑young could only watch as Jang Han selected a torture instrument.
That was when—
Hurried footsteps sounded outside, rushed almost to the point of recklessness.
“Your Highness! Th‑there’s been an emergency!”
A soldier burst through the door.
“What’s all this noise?!”
Jang So snapped irritably.
The soldier spoke urgently.
“Bi‑Bisan Fortress has dispatched troops! They’ve already advanced to the very gates of Mago Fortress!”
“What?! That’s impossible! How could the enemy get this far without us knowing?!”
“They say they’re moving incredibly fast. Every fortress along the way has already fallen!”
“Damn it! Why all of a sudden?!”
“They said if the princess is not handed over, they’ll raze Mago Fortress to the ground!”
“What? The princess? What princess? There is no princess here!”
“Brother, you should go see for yourself first.”
“Let’s go!”
Jang Han and Jang So rushed out.
Left alone once more, Jo‑young was stunned by what she had just heard.
‘What is this? They really started a war just to find the princess? How are they so sure I’m here?’
Strictly speaking, Jo‑young hadn’t been kidnapped.
Aside from Jang Yu, no one knew the princess was here.
Nomnam would be completely bewildered.
The kidnapping had failed, yet they were demanding the princess be handed over.
‘How did things end up like this?’
If she hadn’t tried to escape, would this have happened?
No—if she hadn’t, she would have been cleanly kidnapped… or killed.
‘Maybe it would’ve been better if I died. I’d be dying in place of the real princess.’
That a war had broken out because of her—
She felt nothing but despair.
Just then—
She heard a cautious sound outside.
A faint rustling, so subtle she wondered if she’d imagined it.
Then came the metallic sound of a lock, and the door began to move.
‘Jang Yu?’
Someone opening the door this carefully had to be someone helping her in secret.
And the only person who would do that was Jang Yu.
‘Is he letting me out during the chaos?’
Jo‑young stared at the slowly opening door, hoping it would be Jang Yu.
Creeeeak—
The door finally opened fully.
And the man who appeared—
‘T‑the Lord?’
Why was Kang Yeon‑ho, the lord of Bisan Fortress—who was supposed to be advancing on Mago Fortress—here?
She must have been hit too hard earlier; her vision had to be failing.
At moments like this, being gagged was a blessing.
If she could speak, she would have foolishly asked if he really was the lord.
But no matter how much she blinked, no matter how close he stepped toward her—
That face was unmistakably Kang Yeon‑ho.
And he looked furious.
‘Of course. A war broke out because of me.’
If it really was Kang Yeon‑ho, that anger made perfect sense.
And yet—she was glad.
Even as he glared at her with clenched jaws and eyes burning with rage, she felt grateful and relieved.
He had come.
Even if he scolded her, she would be happy.
If he was truly Kang Yeon‑ho.
If she wasn’t hallucinating.
Stop.
He stopped right in front of her.
Suddenly—
Crash.
“!”
He pulled her into a tight embrace.
As if he were afraid of losing her.
As if he were relieved beyond words.
Without saying anything.
It really was Kang Yeon‑ho.
Jo‑young closed her eyes and leaned her face against his shoulder.
